(Berlin/Oslo) – Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck has agreed to cooperate on energy issues with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The aim is, among other things, to import large volumes of hydrogen from Norway to Germany as quickly as possible. “Our two countries agree that when it comes to hydrogen, we have to think about a European hydrogen infrastructure right from the start,” explained Habeck.
Norway and Germany emphasize in a joint statement that in view of “Russia's attack on Ukraine, which violates international law,” it is now important to quickly reduce Europe's dependence on Russian imports. “We need an accelerated energy transition, an increased expansion of renewable energies and significantly more energy efficiency more urgently than ever.”
Pipeline from Norway to Germany
The future switch from conventional natural gas to green hydrogen and derivatives such as ammonia “must now be initiated even more quickly”. Both countries therefore want to examine the construction of a pipeline from Norway to Germany, which could potentially be used to transport green hydrogen. A feasibility study should quickly clarify whether and under what aspects such a transport infrastructure makes sense.
The role blue hydrogen could play is also being investigated. “It is clear to both countries that this can only represent a transition to advance green hydrogen more quickly and make it economical more quickly,” said the politicians.
In addition to Habeck and Støre, the Norwegian Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Christian Vestre and Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland were also involved in the top meeting. Back in January, Chancellor Scholz and Støre agreed to “jointly implement climate goals, create new green industries and jobs and strengthen energy security”. Both countries aim to be completely climate neutral by the middle of the century, Germany by 2045 and Norway by 2050.
deep link
https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/J-L/20220316-joint-statement-norway.html
Video of the joint press conference (length approximately 21 minutes)
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/tysklands-visekansler/id2904006/
Photos
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (left) and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the joint press conference. © regjeringen.no / Screenshot
